Category: Saturday Study

Samson 6.15.24

Samson was a very polarizing figure in the Old Testament. Before we can fully understand his story, we first must understand what a Nazirite vow was. 

The purpose for the vow of a Nazirite is found in Numbers 6:1-8.

Numbers 6:1-8 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When either a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord, he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried. All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins. All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. Until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the Lord, he shall be holy. He shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long. All the days that he separates himself to the Lord he shall not go near a dead body. Not even for his father or for his mother, for brother or sister, if they die, shall he make himself unclean, because his separation to God is on his head. All the days of his separation he is holy to the Lord.”

The purpose of the vow of the Nazirite was to express one’s special desire to draw close to God and to separate oneself from the comforts and pleasures of this world. The purpose for taking the Nazirite vow was to separate oneself unto the Lord. It was to give up earthly and personal desires to give one’s life to the service of God until the vow was finished. The Hebrew word for Nazirite is nazir, which means “set apart.”

What were the vows?

1. No wine or strong drink nor grape juice nor even eating from any produce of the grapevine, even the seeds or skins.
2. No cutting of the hair.
3. No going near dead bodies even if they were your parents.

Now that we have a better understanding of the Nazirite vows and the purpose of making them, let’s go back and look at Sampson. Sampson was part of Gods answer for His people, Israel. If we look at chapter 13 in the book of Judges, we can see where Sampson’s story really begins. In Judges 13, we read about the birth of Samson and how the Spirit of the Lord begins to stir in him. 

From here, the story of Sampson really gets pretty wild. This man is given incredible physical strength and the Spirit of God is with him; but, the first record in the scriptures of Samson’s doing something proves that he is still just a sinful Israelite. In fact, there’s a very familiar word-phrase used in Judges 14:3. Samson tells his parents to go get him a wife from the Philistines which would have been sinful according to God. But Samson says, “Get her, for me for she is right in my eyes.” 

Let’s look at the connection between these words and the verse we find at the beginning of chapter 13:1 where it says, “and the people of Israel … did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.”

You see this in the Old Testament often when God’s people “do what is right in their own eyes.” They are doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord. This doesn’t mean that every time someone does what is right in their eyes it’s not right according to God. The point is that in the Old Testament this phrase “right in my eyes” is usually used to point to the fact that whatever God’s people are doing is sinful.

Look at verse 4 of chapter 14. Samson’s father and mother did not know that it was “from the Lord,” for he (the Lord) was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. So, Samson, who was a very willing sinner, was drawn by his own desires to this Philistine woman and would be in sin if he took her as his wife. But God was using this woman (a secondary source) and Samson’s own willing sinfulness, because He was going to start the work that He had created Samson to do. If you pay close attention to this story, you can see God’s sovereign hand all the way through. Consider the fact that Samson’s mom was barren, but God came and told her, “You’ll have a son; he will begin to deliver my people from the Philistines.”

Samson is born and, as soon as he’s of age, he wants to marry a Philistine which would have been sinful; but God was sovereignly using Samson’s willing, sinful heart to begin His deliverance of Israel from the Philistines. As we go further, notice God’s hand in the details.

Samson heads down to get his wife, and a young lion comes toward him, roaring. The Spirit rushes over Samson and, with his bare hands, he grabs this young lion and tears it to shreds. One thing to keep in mind is that the verse says this was a young lion. The danger and strength of even a young lion would have destroyed any normal human; so, this feat is no less incredible. 

I just want to draw your attention to details, because they are important. Very quickly into the story, we see Samson breaking one of the Nazirite vows. If he tore this lion to shreds, then he would have been touching a dead body. Next, he goes down with his father (which was the custom) to get his wife, and he prepares a feast. Things get a little soap-opera-like when he gives his enemy a riddle about the dead lion and the honey. Then his wife talks him into telling her the answer, and she tells the men. They answer Samson, and he gets angry. The Spirit rushes upon him again; he goes and kills thirty Philistines and gives the prize to the men who answered his riddle. 

He then goes home, angry. The father of the woman Samson had married gives Samson’s new wife to one of the groomsmen, because he thinks Samson hated her. Things get even weirder when Samson goes back to get his wife and finds out she was given to someone else. He then catches 300 foxes, ties torches to their tails, sets the torches on fire, and lets them loose in the fields of the Philistines. What a sight that must have been! The Philistines ask who has done this, and the people answer, “Samson.” This results in the Philistines burning Samson’s wife and her father. Remember, God said He was going to use Samson to begin freeing Israel from the Philistines. 

Before we see his response, can you see how Samson’s desire for this woman is being used to create a battle, of sorts, between Israel and the Philistines? God will use everyday things to accomplish His purposes in our lives. 

Let’s keep going. Samson attacks the men who had burned his wife and father-in-law, then he goes and hides in a cave. The Philistines attack Lehi: and when God’s people ask why, the Philistines say, “Tell them they want Samson.” They send 3,000 men of Judah go to get Samson because they know a few guys won’t be enough. Samson says, “As long as you guys don’t attack me, I’ll let you bind me and bring me to the Philistines.” They do it; and Samson, upon seeing the Philistines, when the Spirit of the Lord rushes upon him, breaks the rope with which he was bound then grabs the jawbone of a donkey and kills 1,000 Philistines. Stop and really take that in. This is a sight greater than any movie that Hollywood has created. He is truly a one-man wrecking crew. 

In this, we can see God beginning to defeat the Philistines through Samson. The problem is, Samson continues his sinful ways and heads to a town called Gaza to be with a prostitute. Some people find out and decide to trap him. They wait outside of the city gates and say in the morning, “We will kill Samson.” Samson gets up in the middle of the night, ripping the city gates and posts from the ground. If you’re sitting outside a gate waiting for Samson to come out, and the next thing you know the gate is coming out of the ground, and Samson is holding the gate on his shoulders I’m guessing you probably aren’t trying to kill this guy anymore.

What is even more incredible is the fact that the gates would have likely been huge—over 10 feet; they were barred in order to protect the city. That means this gate would have been solid enough to keep armies out of the town. Samson not only rips them from the ground and throws them on his shoulders but the mountain up which he carries them is forty miles from Gaza—and all uphill. 

Like many men before, and after him, Samson’s demise comes at the hands of a woman for whom he has fallen. Samson makes the mistake of breaking his last Nazirite vow and he tells Delilah, “If you cut my hair, I will lose my power.” Many people over the years have said that Samson’s power was in his hair, but we must recognize that Samson’s power was from God. As a result of Samson’s vow-breaking, the Philistines take Samson and make him do slave labor. One day, they decide to throw a party to their god for delivering Samson into their hands. A now-blind Samson, because the Philistines had taken his eyes out, is mocked and made to hear their worship of their false god. At the party, Samson asks the guards who are holding him if they will take him to the pillars that hold the entire building together. 

Samson puts his arms out and likely pushes these two pillars until they buckle, and the entire building comes down, probably killing the greatest number of Philistines he had ever killed in all his conquests over them. Surely, God was not done using Samson, despite his selfish decision-making and unfaithfulness to his vows. Even though Samson was sinful, God still used him to begin to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines. 

We serve a mighty God who does incredible things in, and through, His creation. Do you believe this? Do you trust that He is at work in, and through, us despite our failures and sins? May we repent from our sin and selfishness and not follow the lead of those that failed to be faithful to God before us. Praise God that He is faithful to us despite our failures. In the end, He has given us everything in Christ and owes us nothing. We are truly blessed and should seek Him in all we do so that our lives are lived out for His purposes and His glory!

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Disciples Church

Jephthah 6.8.24

As we started into our study on Jephthah this week, we saw that he was “a mighty warrior” but also the son of a prostitute. (Judges 11:1) Right out of the gate, we are given a reminder of real life. While we can be great at using the gifts God gave us, we can still have struggles and situations in life that are incredibly hard and consequential. Just because all of life is not grand, doesn’t mean that God can’t, or won’t, use us for mighty things. Jephthah had every fleshly reason to be angry with God for his deplorable conception and the fact that it meant he was exiled from his family, but it didn’t cause him to stop trusting in God. 

Many of us get so caught up in our hard, or unfair, circumstances in life that we just let it swallow us into the pit and into depression and sin. We start giving up on God and the things He has set before us to steward for His glory. I pray that this week you are blessed by the reminder we get from Jephthah that even though things may be incredibly hard, if you are still alive, God is not done with you. We need to be reminded that … he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).

Next, God not only brought Jephthah full circle back to his people but gave him the opportunity to lead them and to be victorious over his enemies. The problem was that his hunger for conquest came at the highest price of his life. He vowed to the Lord God saying, “… If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering” (Judges 11:30-31). The problem was that what came out of his tent upon his victorious return home was his daughter, his one-and-only child. The only hope for his legacy and namesake being passed on would not get the chance to have children and raise his grandchildren because he had vowed to offer her up to God as a sacrifice.

Not only is this horrible news and a most tragic situation, but it shows us how serious we should take our vows before the Lord. 

Why is it so important? Because we are never to take God’s name in vain nor use it flippantly to make a vow we will not keep. 

At the end of the day, even when unbelievable loss and pain is before you, will you stand as a person of faith in God and keep your promises or will you bail and take the road that is best for you even if it means betraying an oath you made to God, or in His name?

One of the tragic ways in which many have justified this in modern day life is in the vow of marriage. Many have justified the breaking of a vow they made in God’s holy name to be one with another in marriage until death do them part in order to be done with a lifetime of hardship and pain. But our vow before God was not until love goes away. It was until death do us part. 

Even if divorce, and the breaking of this kind of vow, is in your past, know that you are forgiven in Christ. Don’t let the legacy of your broken vow end on that note. You can, and should, be a part of the conviction and implementation of seeing through your vows to God in the future no matter what it costs you. You can be a part of teaching a new generation coming behind us that they are to take far more seriously the degree of commitment they are making when committing before God to be faithful to one until death do them part than those that have gone before them. Jephthah’s testimony proves to be a faithful lesson because even though seeing through his promise meant a life-long consequence for him and for his daughter, he was faithful to the end because it was a commitment he had made to God. God’s name is what holds the most weight, not the pros and cons of another option. 

The main reason why this kind of oath is not to be made for “ordinary” occasions has to do with the fact that our oaths must be sworn in God’s name. The Bible commands us to hallow God’s name. The mistake Jephthah made was to vow something he did not need to, and because he did, he paid an incredible price. Jephthah rashly made a vow to sacrifice whatever came out of his house if God would give him a victory. Instead of breaking his vow, he kept it and sacrificed her (Judges 11:29–40). We do not know if that sacrifice meant her death or her being sent away a lifetime virgin—never to have kids or make for him a legacy and family heritage. The other thing to note here is her faith. For her to say, “May it be as you have promised,” is also an incredible display of faith and uprightness. 

May we take the vows we make far more seriously than we do. May our yes be yes, and our no be no so that we are known as people of integrity and uprightness. May the vows we make in God’s name be of the highest importance because God, Himself is worthy of this kind of obedience and resolve. His very name is worthy of our greatest expense and endurance to see it through. 

In Judges 12, we see that Jephthah’s victory and rule continued for six years in total. He didn’t let his origins take him out of the fight nor did he let great personal loss take him out of the fight. He endured and continued to be a man of faith. I believe this is why Jephthah is listed with the other great brothers and sisters of faith in Hebrews 11, the Faith Hall of Fame.

What is interesting is the fact that even though Jephthah committed a crime he could have avoided, Hebrews 11 endorses him as an example of great faith. The point not to be missed here is that although Jephthah made a huge mistake and sinned, he was still a man of faith. This is good for our souls to read about because none of us are without struggle, mistake, and sin; yet the power of Christ lives within us so that we, too, might live by faith in our great God. As reprehensible as his actions were, in Christ, he is still a conqueror. 

May we be encouraged in our greatest setbacks to remain faithful to God; to never betray our oath to Him to be our Lord and God; to seek first His kingdom and the making much of His name; to never bail out if, and when, times get incredibly hard and personally unbearable. Just as God is faithful to us until the very end, may we be faithful to Him. 

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Disciples Church

Gideon 6.1.24

This week’s study is on one of my favorite Old Testament characters, Gideon. Let’s dig in.

1. Brought Low

Read Judges 6:1-6. 

The Lord takes our obedience of Him and His commands seriously. He should, because He is God. When His chosen people blatantly disregard His commands and do not give Him the worship He is due, they are ripe for judgment. 

The oppression for seven years at the hand of Midian is brutal on the Israelites. Can you imagine? They couldn’t just sit and do nothing, so they labor and grow the crops, raise their animals, and try to live, but just as the hard work is ended, the harvest is ready and the animals are fattened, the enemy comes and consumes it all leaving them none. 

With their tails between their legs they come to God begging for mercy, so God sends a prophet. The prophet reminds them of all that God has done for them and that His command to worship Him alone and not the false gods of foreigners was clear; and yet they did not obey. We must take seriously the commands of God, because He is God. He is deserving of what He wants. He has been gracious to us and shown us great mercy. We must never forget that we were His enemy and yet He sent His son to redeem us and make us His very own. What can He give us that is greater than that? Why would we trade Him for anything else? Have you failed to really see and be thankful for all that God has done for you? Are you unsatisfied and always wanting more out of Him? 

2. When Everything Seems to Be Against You

Read Judges 6:11-16. 

Gideon’s situation is terrible. He has a hard time believing the stories of his ancestors about a God who delivered them out of great struggle and slavery. His clan is the weakest among his people, and he is the least in his house. Nothing about Gideon makes sense in human thinking—to send him as the leader of the uprising that will conquer their long-time oppressor. Have you ever felt like Gideon; like everything was against you; like nothing was in view that gave you hope of getting out of your situation? What Gideon hears next are the greatest words we could ever hear:“I will be with you.” There are no greater words you and I could hear than the God of all creation saying to us, “I will be with you.” For us, who are saved in Jesus Christ, He has said this to us in His great commission. 

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

May our Lord’s words to us give us the same vigor and faith to trust in Him, despite what we face, like Gideon!

Read Judges 6:17-21. 

Gideon shows great faith in his offering to the Lord. This was not like your and my going to the fridge and giving up our steak dinner. This kind of sacrifice cost him something significant. And the Lord saw this and was satisfied with it. 

3. The Lord is Peace

Read Judges 6:22-24. 

Gideon is in awe at the fact that he saw the Lord face-to-face. “Peace be with you.” “Do not fear.” “You shall not die.” These are the very words Jesus would say to His people as He prepared to die in their place and rise to victory over death so that we would have true peace and not fear for we are victorious in Christ forever. Praise God!

In Judges 6:25-40, the Lord gives Gideon a test and he does it. Then Gideon asks the Lord for more confirmation and He does it. So, the table is set for Gideon to trust in God and do what He asks even though his leading the uprising is an unthinkable reality by human measure. 

4. God Gives Us More Than We Can Handle

Read Judges 7:1-8 

The only thing working for Gideon, humanly speaking, is the large number of men he is poised to take into battle against their enemy. Thirty-two thousand men is not a small number of soldiers. But God wants to be sure He will rightly receive the praise and adoration of His people. So, He only sends 300 men. 

The next time someone says that God doesn’t give us more than we can handle, point them to Judges, chapter seven. God’s instructing Gideon to take on over 100,000 enemy soldiers with just 300 men fits into the more-than-you-can-handle category. Imagine how Gideon and his servant, Purah, must have felt trying to come to grips with a humanly impossible assignment.

When people say, “God doesn’t give us more than we can handle,” what they mean is that God’s redeemed will endure to the end; the hardships we face will not undo us. But what it doesn’t mean is that God only gives us things we can handle. God gives us more than we can handle all the time. Why? So we will rely on Him; so He gets the credit when we endure; so our faith is put on display. 

Picture this scene with me: standing on the side of Mount Gilboa, Gideon gazes over the Plain of Jezreel, which sprawls beneath him northward toward the Hill of Moreh. Picture it: the plain is a sea of tents, teaming with more than 100,000 Midian warriors. With renewed faith, Gideon and Purah rouse their mini-army and launch a night attack. This throws the Midians into a panic and, as a result, they slaughter each other in confusion; it is a rout. Not one of Gideon’s three hundred men perishes in the battle. God gives them more than they can handle in order to force them to rely wholly on Him. To God be the glory!

When we’re confronted with an impossible situation or trial, Gideon’s three hundred men preach to us “salvation is from the Lord” (Psalm 37:39) and “if God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). God really intends for us to cast our all onto these massive truths and for them to give us more-than-conquerors confidence and peace (Romans 8:37) no matter what we face.

The defeat of our sin, which Jesus accomplished on the cross, dwarfs Gideon’s victory. Compared to overcoming God’s wrath against our sin, defeating 100,000 Midianites was very small. And if God “did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how will He not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

God certainly does give us more than we can handle. And He does it “to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9). If you’re facing an overwhelming adversary or adversity and you wonder how God could possibly deliver and work it for your good (Romans 8:28), then take heart. He is granting you the joy of experiencing the reality of Judges 7, Romans 8, and 2 Corinthians 1. We must trust in Him despite how the situation is stacked against us. 

Judges 7:9-8:32 tells of the great victory and conquest of Gideon’s army against their enemies. Gideon has a huge family with many offspring and dies at a ripe old age in peace. But, how quickly Israel forgets all they have seen and runs back to their flesh.

Judges 8:33-35 As soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned again and whored after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god. And the people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side, and they did not show steadfast love to the family of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in return for all the good that he had done to Israel.

May we not be like Israel, but instead be like Gideon—faithful and willing to put our lives on the line to trust in God and fight for His glory to be the center of our praise!

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Disciples Church

Deborah  5.25.24

This week we study the only female judge, Deborah. Let’s turn to Judges 4 and see all that God did in and through her.

Judges 4:1-3 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth- hagoyim. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.

The people are disobedient and doing evil in the sight of the Lord—so much so that God sells them into the hand of Jabin, King of Canaan. This is not good for the Israelites as Jabin’s army, led by Sisera, is awe-inspiring—they have an impressive 900 chariots of iron and a dominant record of victory and cruelty for 20 years. That’s a run. Imagine what it would be like to have the rival to your favorite team beat you and claim the trophy 20 years in a row. That is a long run; but that’s just a game. Imagine our country being overcome and run by tyrants for 20 years. Israel is in a bad state, and God is not happy with them. 

Judges 4:4-5 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment.

The fact that God allows a woman to be the representative of the people is another sign of just how bad things are in this era. God’s design for headship of the man over the woman when it comes to authority is not a swipe at a woman’s ability nor her value, but it is simply God’s design for the roles we are to play. So, the fact that Israel is in such a bad place that Deborah is the one to lead them simply shows how far they have come from God’s design and commands on them. 

This is not unlike the sad state of much of the modern-day church. In many congregations, it is the women who are the heartbeat of the church, while husbands take their faith and God-ordained role to lead their families in Christ all too casually. For many families, the children don’t even know their dad as a spiritual leader and disciple of Christ. It is Mom who is faithful to growing in her faith and serving God in the church. This has to change. We have to see men of God act like men of God and take seriously their God-given duty to love and lead their families in Christ and in the church. I pray that the men within my sphere of influence take seriously this charge so that the boys and young men whom God has entrusted them can be raised to honor God and lead their families according to the Scriptures, and we can correct this terrible trend of letting the women do the heavy lifting of spiritual leadership in the church and home. May it be so. 

With that said, Deborah is chosen by God and lifted to a very important task to which she is faithful. Deborah lived during the period of the Judges, when Israel was not united as a nation under one leader, but rather existed as a loose confederation of tribes. Periodically, the Lord would endow a leader—a judge—in one of these tribes with His Holy Spirit, and that leader would rise to rally the Israelites together to face down a common foe. Deborah judged Israel in the days when Jabin, king of Canaan, oppressed the Israelites for 20 years. 

It says she is a prophetess, which means she hears from God directly and is to share this insight with those entrusted to her influence. Additionally, she is raised up as the only female judge ever. This is a high position in this economy and time. She essentially is the highest rank and voice among God’s people. What she does with this position is incredible. 

As we read Judges 4:1-16, we see that Jabin has a mighty army with “900 chariots of iron”, which is the most advanced military technology available at that time. Jabin’s stranglehold on the people is such that commerce has essentially ceased. The people do not travel on the highways that carry goods in and out of Palestine because of Jabin’s mighty army.

God uses Deborah to rally the Israelites against Jabin. Humanly speaking, the deck is stacked against Israel, and everyone knows it. General Barak is unwilling to call the Israelites to battle against their Canaanite foes without Deborah “holding his hand” as it were. Consequently, when the Lord keeps His promise to save His people, a woman, rather than the soldiers of Israel, would receive the credit for the victory.

This is what happens: Despite the fact that his army is technologically inferior to Jabin’s, Barak’s force of 10,000 Israelites is able to defeat the Canaanite army. This is huge! God is awesome. 

Throughout the redemptive history we find recorded in the Bible, we see that God often chooses to raise up unlikely men and women to rescue His people from their enemies. The story of Deborah is an excellent example of this reality. Here we have a female leader in Israel leading an army against another army that they simply should not overcome, but they do. 

God will, and does, use the most unlikely, regular people to do the most extraordinary things. We need not ever forget this, but instead walk in faith and trust that the God of all things can, and will, use little-ol’-us to do amazing things in His name for His eternal glory!

As we read in Judges 4, we see that only Sisera, Jabin’s general, is left alive. Sisera flees until he comes to the home of Jael, the wife of a Kenite with whom Sisera’s kingdom is at peace. Jael’s ultimate loyalty is not to the Kenites but to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and His people. Jael gives shelter to Sisera, but only so that she can lure him into the place where she can kill him with a tent peg to his head. The mightiest general in the region at the time was defeated not by a general but by an “ordinary” housewife. The Lord does not need mighty men to accomplish His purposes. Often, God delights to use the unexpected to fulfill His will. That is exactly what He does with Deborah and Jael. To Him be all the praise and glory!

In Judges 5, we read a great song of testament and praise about all that God does in, and through, Israel despite the people’s rebellion. It stands as a great proclamation of praise for who God is and of what He is capable. 

As we consider the testimony of Deborah and Barak, we realize that most of us would likely be considered ordinary people who will never make the history books. From a human perspective, you may not seem all that “great.” Yet from God’s perspective, ordinary is what we want to be. He brings about His will through the instrumentality of ordinary people making ordinary decisions such as the best way to teach their children the Bible, or how they can reach their next-door neighbor with the gospel. The Lord uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary. 

May we use all that God has entrusted to us to be faithful to Him despite our circumstances and trust how He will use it for His eternal purposes. We are to be faithful to till the soil, but the results are up to Him. 

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Disciples Church

Balaam  5.18.24

How many times have you made a choice based on desire or gain—where, rather than following the clear warning of God on a matter, you have pushed it until you got your own way? Sometimes it seems like we are getting what we want and then it does not work out as we had expected. Other times, we justify what we want, and we work any angle in order to get it. 

As we read the introduction to Balaam, we notice a couple of things. First, Balaam is not an Israelite (Numbers 22:5). Second, God is fulfilling His promise to strike fear in the hearts of the inhabitants of Canaan (Numbers 22:3). Third, Balaam inquires of the Lord (Numbers 22:8). Fourth, God speaks to Balaam (Numbers 22:9). Fifth, Balaam listens to God but does not obey (Numbers 22:22). Sixth, Balaam cannot do anything contrary to the Lord’s will (Numbers 23:8).

First, Balaam is not an Israelite. Many times it is easy to assume that God only speaks to certain types of people. This is not always the case. God usually speaks through a particular means that He has defined. In the Age of Balaam, God used visions and prophets as His mouthpiece. In the Old Testament, this developed an elitism that Israel was the only people through whom God spoke. But, here we have an instance of a non-Israelite receiving direct communication from God in a very specific manner. We have to understand that this is not the norm. Peter tells us that we have something surer, the prophetic word. God declares His will to all peoples through His word. 

Second, God is fulfilling His promise to strike fear in the hearts of the inhabitants of Canaan. Exodus 23:27 says, “I will send my terror before you, and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.” God promises to go before Israel, and He does. Balak, the king of Moab, is scared, so he calls on Balaam. Balaam has a reputation for divination and power. In essence, Balak knows that he cannot defeat the Israelites in battle. He also understands that there are spiritual realities, and God works in His mighty way. Balak brings together Moab and Midian in hopes of giving themselves more strength. However, God always does what He says He will do. 

Third, Balaam inquires of the Lord (Numbers 22:8). Balaam inquires and asks God what He wants him to do. The irony here is so funny. Balaam is asking God if he can go and curse the people that God brought out of the land of Egypt. Balaam does not have all the data. He does not realize that Israel are the people of the same God that he, Balaam, follows. This should be a warning to us; many times, we lack all the data and pray in our ignorance, whereas, if we were to do the research, we could pray better. We can thank God that He has given His Spirit to pray when we do not know what to pray. This is a good thing for us to keep in mind. Balaam is willing to obey in the form of following directions from the Lord. But, notice that I am not using the word obey in sense of obedience as it relates to Balaam, because He does not obey, even though he has a willingness to submit to the outward command. We will discuss this later. How often do we inquire of the Lord not because we want to obey, but because we know it is necessary and right?

Fourth, God speaks to Balaam (Numbers 22:9). The passage that this verse is in, is key to understanding all of the issues with Balaam. God specifically tells Balaam, “you will not curse these people, for they are blessed.” God clearly tells Balaam what he is not to do—do not go, do not curse. This is a clear declaration by God of what Balaam is, and is not, to do. Balaam listens and sends the men on their way. 

Fourth, Balaam listens to God, but does not obey (Numbers 22:22). This is a major point. This will clarify the problem of contradictory commands in the text. Balaam knew what the command of God was concerning the people of Israel, yet he entertains the princes and tells them he will inquire of the Lord again. We know from other texts in the Bible that the money offered to Balaam was a great temptation. God has specifically told Balaam what he cannot do. This is like when our children know we have said no to something and then start to whine and wheedle or persistently ask, while what they are asking for is harmful and not what is best for them. Obedience is not just following orders; it is having a right heart and attitude. 

Balaam does not obey. He does not have the right heart or attitude based on his willingness to listen to the princes of Moab. How do we know this? Peter tells us, “Forsaking the right way; they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.” This is a common error. Scripture speaks of Balaam’s error on more than one occasion and never in good way. (Jude 1:11, Revelation 2:14). Oftentimes, we think we know what we want, and we are persistent even after God has given us a direct or clear “No” as an answer. We would rather have our stuff than give God obedience. 

God tells Balaam to go, even though God has clearly told Balaam what is, and is not, going to happen. Balaam has a direct command not to curse. Balaam knows that this is what Balak wants Him to do. God gives Balaam warnings along the way—so much so that Balaam is rebuked by a donkey. God hands Balaam over to his sin and Balaam reaps the rewards (Numbers 31:8). 

Fifth, Balaam cannot do anything contrary to the Lord’s will (Numbers 23:8). God allows Balaam to go, but God does not listen to Balaam and curse His people; rather, He makes Balaam bless them. God puts the words in Balaam’s mouth. No matter how much Balaam wants to curse these people, he cannot, because the only thing he can do is what the Lord tells him to do. Though Balaam knows that he cannot curse Israel, He does deal treacherously with the people of Israel. Numbers 31:16 tells us that Balaam caused the people of Israel to act against the Lord. Balaam has the Moabite women lead the men of Israel astray into pagan worship. Remember God had told Israel not to intermarry, as this would lead them away from God. This command continually is disobeyed and the people of Israel end up in captivity because of this sin of idolatry. In Numbers 25, we see that the Israelites followed after other women and they followed after the other gods. Balaam had instigated this.

Balaam is a figure that we can look at and be thankful to God for His work and plan. God tells us clearly in Joshua 24:10 that He would not listen to Balaam. God is not at our beck and call. Throughout the story, Balaam seeks God, hoping for a change, and it never happens. God has a clear plan He has laid down from the foundation of the world. This plan is according to His own infinite, wise counsel. We have seen how God always fulfills His word. It is a refuge for us. 

How are you trusting in the promises of God, relying on Him, following Him in all things with a right heart and right attitude? In what ways are you following after the error of Balaam? How are material things more important than the Word of the Lord? Spend some time meditating and reading God’s Word and ask the Spirit to illuminate these things. 

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Disciples Church

*Special thanks to J. Taylor for his help with this week’s devotional.